by J. O Mantel
“What time are Miranda and Pierce coming over?” Judith asked.
“Miranda said they’d be here by noon, for lunch.”
His in-laws never missed a birthday or any occasion of Lili’s. In fact, since Bree’s passing, they’d been there for almost everything, from school concerts to dance lessons. Hunter was incredibly lucky to have both of them in their lives, and they were as much his parents as his own mother was.
“Perfect. I guess I’ll see you both tomorrow then.” She smiled as she grabbed her purse and swung it over her shoulder. Hunter stood from the couch and walked over to the door, reaching for the handle. He heard his mother whisper in his ear, “Andy’s been very observant tonight. You two have fun.” She winked and gave him a wicked grin. “Goodnight, Andy,” she called out.
“Night, Judith,” Andy replied from the couch.
She pressed her lips to Hunter’s cheek, and as he pulled the door open for her, he grabbed her arm and whispered, “Thanks, Mom.” He released his grip and watched as Judith walked toward her car.
Hunter stifled a yawn as he walked back over to the couch where Andy was still seated, watching something on the television. Tomorrow was going to be a long day, not to mention mentally and emotionally exhausting for everyone. He was tired, and all he wanted to do was crawl into bed, curl up, and fall asleep.
“I might call it a night. I’m pretty tired, and tomorrow’s going to be a long and exhausting day,” Hunter told Andy.
“Yeah, I think I might just do the same.” Andy switched off the TV and stood from the couch. When Andy stood before Hunter, their eyes met.
“Um … goodnight then,” Hunter said, feeling extremely awkward as he took the wine bottle and glasses to the kitchen.
“Goodnight,” Andy replied, and the two of them headed to bed.
Hunter sat up in bed, unable to close his eyes and fall asleep. He looked at the clock on the wall and groaned, it was after three, and in a few short hours he’d have to wake up and entertain guests on one of the most miserable days of his life. It sounded completely selfish, considering it was his daughter’s birthday, but every single time he looked at her on that day, all he could see was Bree. He barely slept at night as it was, and the fact that he was up at this godforsaken hour was insane.
He pushed off the covers and headed into the kitchen to get a drink. To his surprise, he found Andy sitting at the counter with fingers curled around a mug.
“Can’t sleep?” Andy asked, turning around to face Hunter.
Hunter shook his head and opened the fridge, squinting his eyes as the bright light illuminated the room.
“And what’s your excuse?” Hunter asked.
“I thought I heard a noise from Lili’s bedroom, so I went to check on her.”
Hunter knew that statement was a lie, because only moments earlier, he had been the one in her room making sure she was sound asleep again after having another one of her nightmares. But he figured he’d play along with Andy’s story.
“Well, we’ve got a long day ahead, we’d better try to get some sleep.” Hunter yawned, taking a bottle of water from the fridge. He took a quick swig before turning back to Andy. “See you in the morning,” he said.
“Goodnight,” Andy replied.
Hunter placed the bottle of water on the nightstand and sat down on the bed, flicking on the lamp. He pinched the bridge of his nose before rubbing his eyes, and as he cocked his head to the side, he noticed something peeping out of his backpack. He reached over and pulled out the ever so familiar red envelope and wondered did I miss this earlier?
He flipped over the envelope and peeled apart the seal, noticing not one or two, but three cards, each with the same familiar handwriting. He pulled out the first card and read the text on the cover …
Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
If you’ll be patient,
I know you’ll love me too.
He then opened the card and read what was written on the inside …
Roses are red, violets are blue,
I’d love to dance, all night with you.
A Valentine x
He racked his brain, trying to piece together any information he could that would lead him to finding out who this mysterious “A Valentine” was. Placing the card on the bed, he pulled out the next card. The words on the outside read, A poem for my super-sexy valentine! When he opened the card, he read the text on the inside …
You have the sexiest ass, it’s like a beautiful peach,
I always want to squeeze it, whenever it’s in reach.
Hunter remained seated on the bed and shifted slightly, his ass had become the subject of conversation in two of the Valentine’s Day cards, and he began to wonder just who exactly had seen the prize-winning subject of discussion recently. He was surrounded by men and women on a daily basis at the station, then there was the occasional visit to see Kathleen down at the local grocery store. Then, of course, there was Molly, Lili’s kindergarten teacher. All of whom, he was sure, had seen his million-dollar asset in one way or another.
He stared at the envelope for several moments before he pulled out the final card, flipping it over, he read the writing on the cover …
Roses are red, balls can get blue,
But maybe tonight, I’ll go down on you.
Jesus Christ. It was true that love made people do some crazy and weird shit, but this, this took it to a whole new level. An innocent and romantic Valentine’s Day message was one thing, but the messages in all these cards were anything but innocent. It was late, or more to the point, early, and he was having trouble functioning, much less comprehending anything, but as he opened the card, it wasn’t a message he found on the inside, but instead, a tiny piece of folded paper. He pulled it from inside the envelope and slowly unfolded it …
To Hunter,
I love you so deeply,
I love you so much,
I love the sound of your voice
And the way that we touch.
I love your warm smile
And your kind, thoughtful way,
The joy that you bring
To my life every day.
I love you today
As I have from the start,
And I’ll love you forever
With all of my heart.
A Valentine x
Folding the note carefully, he put it back inside the envelope with the other cards, and placed it on the nightstand. He knew that he should probably try to get some sleep, his soon-to-be six-year-old, would no doubt have them all run off their feet in the morning. Instead, dressed only in his Andrew Christians, he sat on the bed, paralyzed by the many thoughts circling his mind.
Somehow, he must have drifted off to sleep, because as he opened his eyes sometime later, he found himself inches away from a pair of tiny blue eyes peering right back at him.
“Good morning, Daddy,” Lili said with a gleeful grin.
Hunter rolled onto his back before he sat up on the bed and leaned forward. He reached out and lifted Lili up, sitting her down beside him.
“Happy birthday, angel,” he smiled, kissing her temple.
Hunter brushed her messy hair out of her face, and a faint smell of eggs and fresh bacon filled the room.
“I think Andy’s made you a special breakfast, madam. How about you go and get dressed and meet me in the kitchen when you’re done.”
“Okay, Daddy.” She laughed and jumped off the bed.
Hunter watched as she hurried out of the bedroom and closed the door. Sliding into his boxers, Hunter walked out of his bedroom and made his way to the kitchen where he saw… “Mom?” She was leaning over the stove preparing breakfast.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” she smiled, placing a warm kiss on his cheek.
“Um, what are you doing here?” he asked, slightly disorientated.
“Have you already forgotten what today is?” Her eyes scanned h
im from head to toe, and Hunter suddenly realized he was practically naked in front of her. He quickly crossed his arms and yawned.
“No, I know what day it is, Mother. What I mean is, why are you here so early? The party doesn’t start until lunch.”
“I know, but I wanted to come over and see if you needed a hand with anything. And besides, I wanted to give my precious little munchkin her present. Where is she?”
“I told her to get dressed, she’ll be out in a minute.”
With a smile, Judith went back to cooking breakfast.
“I might take a shower. Andy not awake yet?”
“Not since I’ve been here.”
Hunter turned and made his way over toward the bathroom. He noticed that the door to the spare bedroom was closed and figured Andy must still be asleep.
By the time Hunter finished showering and was dressed, Andy and his mother were already waiting for him in the kitchen. They sat and ate the filling breakfast his mother had prepared before the four of them made their way into the living room. Judith handed Lili the first of her many wrapped packages, and the three of them watched as she tore off the paper. With a warm smile on her face, she held up the huge Malibu Barbie doll her grandmother had bought for her.
“Thank you, Grandma.” She wrapped her arms around her grandmother’s waist in a tight hug. There was definitely no hiding the great big, warm smile on her face. Next she opened the big blue box that Andy handed her. Inside was the biggest Ken doll Hunter had ever seen. He pointed a smile in Andy’s direction, who also responded with a smile in return.
There were still quite a few presents left for Lili to unwrap, and as she opened all of them, more Barbie dolls were added to the ever-growing pile that was already scattered all over the floor. She also received some sweatpants, T-shirts, shoes, sneakers, hoodies, and sweaters, but she didn’t care about those, all she wanted was to spend the day playing with her new ‘children’ as she called them.
Deciding that the sight before him was too much, Hunter stood from the couch and walked toward the kitchen. He shrugged into his jacket and grabbed his keys from the counter as he made his way toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Andy asked.
“Just running an errand. I’ll be back before Miranda and Pierce get here,” Hunter replied as he walked through the door and closed it behind him.
“Is he okay?” Andy asked, looking at Judith.
“He’s going to visit Bree,” Judith replied, swallowing the knot in her throat that threatened to make its way to the surface. She turned and kneeled down on the floor next to Lili as the two of them played with the dolls. Andy looked around the room at the many framed photographs of Hunter and Bree from when they were married and the many years they were together. Andy couldn’t comprehend what was going through Hunter’s mind.
Hunter found Miranda and Pierce sitting by the fireplace with Lili when he returned from the cemetery. He greeted his mother-in-law with a kiss and pulled Pierce in for a great big hug.
“How are you, darling?” Miranda asked.
“I’m … okay, you know?” he said with a half-smile.
It was the most difficult day of the year for Hunter, but it was also the happiest, which made it all sorts of crazy for his emotions. While he didn’t want the memory of Bree to be forgotten, he also didn’t want his daughter’s special day to be saddened. Miranda, Pierce, and Lili were a constant reminder of her, and that alone was enough to keep her memory alive.
Everyone enjoyed a wonderful lunch which Miranda and Judith had prepared, and Lili was more than impressed with her growing pile of presents. By the end of the afternoon, everyone was so full, they barely had enough room for cake. His mother and Miranda helped with the dishes and cleaned the mess Lili left behind with her wrappings, while Pierce, Andy, and Hunter enjoyed beer and wine by the fireplace.
By the time the sun set on the chilly afternoon, Judith had packed a bag for Lili. Miranda and Pierce were taking her to Orlando for the weekend to visit Disneyland, as a special birthday present. His mother was also spending the weekend visiting his grandmother out of town, and Andy’s parents had extended their trip for at least another month. Hunter and Andy both had the next two days off, which meant it would be just the two of them for the weekend.
It was several hours later before Hunter’s mother finally left. She insisted on helping clean up, even though Hunter had assured her he’d take care of it in the morning. With a yawn, he stretched his arms over his head and stood from the couch.
“I think I might head to bed. I’m beat,” Hunter said, slowly making his way toward the bedroom.
“Hunter?” Andy spoke, getting off the couch.
“Yeah?” Hunter turned to face Andy.
“Um … there’s … there’s something I need to tell you.”
Andy sounded serious, and suddenly had Hunter’s full attention.
“What is it, Andy? Is everything all right?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine. There’s just been something on my mind for some time now.”
Hunter was curious, and judging by the expression on Andy’s face, he knew this was serious.
Andy inched toward Hunter, inhaling the intoxicating cologne he was wearing.
“I’ve been thinking about how I was going to tell you this, and I was trying to find the right moment,” Andy hedged. “The truth is, Hunter, over the last couple of weeks that we’ve spent together, I feel that we’ve grown really close.”
“Yeah, I think it’s been great for the two of us, especially with everything that’s happened. It’s been great having the extra company around, not to mention Lili is crazy about you.”
“And I’m crazy about her, too.”
There was a brief, awkward pause for a few seconds before Andy spoke again, “I like you, Hunter.”
“And I like you, too, Andy.” Hunter smiled, unsure how else to reply.
“No, I really like you,” Andy confessed.
“And I really like you, too. Where are you going with this?”
Andy took another step toward Hunter until they were only inches apart. Completely unaware that he was even doing it, Hunter involuntarily looked Andy over.
“Roses are red, emeralds are green, your ass is the best, that I’ve ever seen,” Andy whispered in his ear.
Hunter stared at Andy. “What did you just say?” he asked, shocked.
“I may not get to see you as often as I like. I may not get to hold you in my arms all through the night. But deep in my heart I truly know, you’re the one that I love, and I can’t let you go.”
“Wait … how did you …?” Hunter’s own words escaped him, but as he stood there, his eyes locked with Andy’s, he realized he didn’t need them anymore as he finally managed to put together all the missing pieces of the puzzle.
“Roses are red, violets are blue, I’d love to dance, all night with you.”
Hunter gasped as he listened to Andy recite every single one of the Valentine’s cards he’d received. Every word coming out of Andy’s mouth was pushing Hunter closer to the edge. An edge that, until recently, he was sure he’d never want to go near, and it was scary as all fuck.
“It’s you! You’re A Valentine!” Hunter gasped.
“ROSES ARE RED, balls can get blue, but maybe tonight, I’ll go down on you,” Andy continued.
“Oh my god,” Hunter said, still in a state of shock. “But … but you’re … you’re a guy.”
“Yes. I’d say that’s a pretty accurate observation, wouldn’t you?” Andy stated.
Hunter took a step backward and kept his focus on Andy. “You’re the one who’s been sending me all these cards?”
Andy nodded. “I … I wanted to tell you sooner, but I just never found the right opportunity. We were always together at work, and I didn’t want to draw suspicion. I figured the only way I could get your attention was by sending you all the cards.”
Hunter pin
ched the bridge of his nose and lowered his head, trying to make sense of everything.
“But you’re a dude.”
“Um … yeah, we’ve already established that fact,” Andy said.
“So, why didn’t you just sign your name on the cards? Why all the secrecy?”
“I did sign my name on the card.”
“A Valentine? That’s a pretty generic way to end a message, don’t you think?” Hunter asked.
“Think about it, Hunter,” Andy said.
Hunter raised his head and stared at Andy, whose eyes were now level with Hunter’s. “Think about what?” he asked.
“A Valentine? Doesn’t ring any bells?”
“Should it?” Hunter questioned.
“A Valentine … Andreas Valentino Hendricus, also known as Andy Valentine.”
Hunter’s eyes widened at the sudden revelation. “Andreas Valentino Hendricus?”
“That’s my full name,” Andy confirmed.
“But … why have you called yourself Andy?”
“Andreas makes me sound like some ancient Greek god, and that’s not the person I am. I’m a simple guy, so I wanted a simple name like Andrew, but Andy kind of grew on me. I can’t believe you never made the connection.”
“Well, I didn’t exactly expect my best friend, who happens to be a guy, to fall in love with me, did I? I mean, it’s not like everyone calls you Valentine at work. It’s always Hendrix or Andy. Even the schedule has you as Hendrix. Then I started receiving all these cards, and the shock of that was enough to throw me off course. How the hell was I supposed to make the connection?”
Hunter could feel the room starting to spin around him. He inhaled a deep breath before sitting down on the couch. “How? I just don’t understand how any of this can be happening?”
“I know this doesn’t make any sense to you, but if you’ll give me a chance to explain, I promise I will.” He sat down on the armchair opposite Hunter, who had his head between his knees, running his hands through his hair. When he lifted his head back up to meet Andy’s gaze, he exhaled the breath he’d been holding and allowed Andy to continue.